


Uneducated does not mean Unintelligent

by Mystic_Harley



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Leele and the Doctor are great together, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 07:43:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20254633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mystic_Harley/pseuds/Mystic_Harley
Summary: During a lull in their adventures, Leela ponders over what it means to be intelligent.





	Uneducated does not mean Unintelligent

There had been something niggling at the back of Leela’s mind for some time now. Ever since she had first stepped onto an alien world and into her own past (or so the Doctor said it was, she found it difficult to believe the people she had met were her ancestors), people had treated her differently.    
  
Belittled, that was the word that she had recently learned. People looked down upon her, and sometimes that included the Doctor, although she knew that he did care for her. The other people she met cared little for her, but was that why they belittled her?   
  
“Doctor.” She said, knowing that he would be able to wash away the confusion in her mind. The Doctor gave a ‘hmm’ to acknowledge he was listening to her, even as he worked on the TARDIS. “Why do people belittle me? They look down upon me, but I do not know why.”   
  
“Well Leela, it’s because they don’t understand you.” The Doctor replied, not looking up at his companion. “They think you’re unintelligent.”   
  
“And am I unintelligent?” She asked, curious to know the answer. The Doctor paused what he was doing, and looked up at her.   
  
“Well, that’s a matter of perspective I suppose. Do you believe you’re unintelligent?” He propped himself up on his elbows, regarding her with a curious look.   
  
Leela frowned at the question. “Well, no. I do not believe myself to be unintelligent. However, I am ignorant of many things, many things that intelligent people like you regard as if were ‘as easy as breathing’ as you once said.” The Doctor nodded slowly, encouragingly. “So to them, that would make me unintelligent. But I am aware of things and have skills that they do not possess, that are alien to them and not to me. So to me, they would be unintelligent.”   
  
Now she just felt even more confused than when she started. “But that is not entirely correct either. For even though you know little of the hunt and tracking, you are very knowledgeable in a lot of things. So you cannot be unintelligent.”    
  
“That was excellently put Leela.” The Doctor acknowledged, giving her a tiny little smile and walking over to her, placing an arm around her shoulders. “It’s true that people do look down on you, but I meant what I said. They don’t understand how you operate and how you think. You’re capable of grasping concepts easily, and can adapt to most situations just as easily. That’s a very rare trait Leela, even among academics. People that claim are intelligent often fail a lot in other areas. What good knowing a lot of things if you’re incapable of doing anything with that knowledge, yes?”   
  
Leela nodded slowly. She did think it was rather pointless to learn about things if there was no practical reason to do so. “So, are you saying that there are different kinds of intelligence?” At the Doctor’s broad and approving grin, Leela herself felt happy at the reaction.   
  
“Leela that is precisely what I’m saying, good show! While  _ academically _ there’s a lot you’re lacking in, you’re also getting closer and closer to closing that gap. Emotionally speaking, you’re very in-tune with your emotions and those of other people. Even if other people fail to understand you, you can make friends easily.”   
  
“Like you!” Leela exclaimed delightfully. The Doctor laughed a little.   
  
“Yes I suppose like me. There will be a time where I won’t have to teach you anything anymore.” He seemed almost sad to say that, and Leela shook her head.   
  
“No Doctor, with you there is always something new to learn.”   
  
He grinned at her, full of teeth and he squeezed her shoulders a bit. “Now that’s the spirit.” He moved away from her, and knelt back down to keep up his maintenance. Before he did, he looked back up at her, deadly serious. “And if anybody tries calling you stupid, tell them to stuff it. You’re a bright girl Leela. Never forget that.”   
  
She nodded slowly, and his face burst into that trademark grin of his, before he ducked his head back down and resumed his tinkering to the TARDIS. Having nothing better to do, Leela sat down and watched him work. 


End file.
